“Copy that,” Joe said. “Hit her engines, she drops like a rock.” “That’s right,” Cannon said. “Simple.” Joe eyed the British planes, still circling Sparrow. He counted sixteen, four bombers and twelve fighters, against Inconstant‘s fourteen fighters. The Long Nines’ … Continue reading
“Takahashi, take your flight up high and watch the Limey top cover,” Joe said. “Call it in if—” Stopping in midsentence, he squinted toward the British planes left around the zep. The radio clicked as four Kestrels climbed out of … Continue reading
Another pair of Kestrels launched. Joe’s Falcon swung gently as the deck crew moved it along the rails. Joe adjusted the shaving mirror clamped over his head until he could see Emma’s fighter, sliding onto the rails behind him. Two … Continue reading
Shaking his head, Joe stowed his start-up checklist. Down on the deck, a young woman caught his eye. Tomlin, he thought, one of the latest batch. She kept out of the way as best she could, heading aft with a … Continue reading
Joe stepped delicately from the ladder into the cockpit of his Falcon. Even so, it swung beneath his weight. Already, the other pilots were coaxing their machines to life, and the sputters as the engines turned over quickly built to … Continue reading
Cannon joined him and surveyed the chart. The wooden marker representing Inconstant sat at the far corner of the table. Churchill said, “There we are, seventy-five miles south of Alexandria, course due west. The British zeppelin is twenty-five miles east, … Continue reading
Cannon nodded to himself. He took pride in an efficient, well-drilled crew, and although this one, like all pirate crews, worked with a certain devil-may-care attitude, it fit the bill. As he made his way carefully down the ladder, they … Continue reading
“Copy that. You sitting this one out?” “That’s right, Joe.” The Albatross rocked beneath Cannon as the hangar crew moved it from the skyhook to the hangar rails. “I’m a little banged up. You’ll be in command out there.” “Sure … Continue reading
“This is Whiskey One,” said Lecocq over the radio. “Do you see bandits?” “Whiskey Three says negative,” Henderson replied. “Whiskey Two, also negative.” “No need to stick around, then,” Lecocq said. “Meet at rendezvous point one.” The radio clicked twice. … Continue reading
Emma waved for the others to haul on the rope one more time, and then yanked Cannon in through the cargo door. “All aboard,” she said into her headset mic. “Good to have you back, skipper,” she added, sparing only … Continue reading
